


Better Before

by platinumfail



Category: Free!
Genre: F/M, Fem!Makoto, Fluff, Rule 63, fem!Mako, fem!harumako, fem!makoharu, fluff upon fluff upon fluff, genderbent free, makoharu fluff, rule 63 free
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-22
Updated: 2014-06-22
Packaged: 2018-02-05 17:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1825864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platinumfail/pseuds/platinumfail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gou, forever the nosy swim manager, asks Makoto who she likes…and after several hours beating around the bush, she admits that its Haruka. Gou then formulates a plan in her mind for Makoto to pamper herself…and get Haruka there in time to see the result.</p><p>A fem!mako/haru prompt request from tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Before

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Here's a makoharu request that I have finally filled! It was requested so long ago and I'm so sorry for the late posting! <3 
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> <3,  
> Kayla

            There's a lot of things Ms. Makoto Tachibana can do, and that's just a basic fact. She can swim the backstroke with perfect form, be the captain of the Iwatobi swim team, make sure Haruka obeys rules (concerning open water), make her friends feel content, and more. She can sew up any tear that Ren makes in his little uniform pants for school, and knows how to braid Ran's long black-brown hair for school each time she requests. She can pull together meetings and lead them with ease and be a major support beam for everyone.

            But...there's _one_ thing Ms. Makoto Tachibana cannot do.

_Lie._

            Which is how Makoto would find herself in a disgustingly sticky situation with the Iwatobi swim club's manager, Gou Matsuoka. Gou and Makoto were good friends, since they were the only girls on the swim team. Makoto was grateful to have a close friend that was a girl, since her best friend was Haruka, and he was your stereotypical male...except for the fact he's in love with water and always looks apathetic to others. Ever since she was a little kid, her friend group has been comprised of boys. First Haruka, then Rin, then Nagisa, and now, Rei. Makoto had a lot of fun with Gou, since they could giggle and talk about certain things that Haruka would just raise an eyebrow at and then go make some mackerel to get his mind off of the situation.

            Swim practice was over for the evening, and Makoto was pulling on a yellow t-shirt along with her athletic shorts, letting out a small breath when seeing Haruka still floating in the pool, his eyes peacefully shut. Makoto bit her lip and looked at her shoes, blinking slowly. She knew she had a crush on Haruka since second grade, when she found out what the word "crush" meant, but never acted on it, even if it's been 9 years since her "ground-breaking" realization.

            "Makoto!" Gou called out from across the pool deck, beckoning the tall swimmer over.

            Makoto snapped out of her repressed thoughts and pulled on her Iwatobi jacket, still eying Haruka in the pool. Makoto knew she should get him out of the pool now, but she figured to give him a few more minutes, since she'd be talking to Gou anyways.

            "What's up, Gou?" Makoto inquired, bouncing on the heels of her feet, seeing Nagisa bug Rei out of the corner of her eye, holding back a giggle.

            "I was wondering if you'd want to go shopping and get makeovers on Saturday with me. I have a date with Seijuro that evening, and I don't want to get ready all by myself." Gou smiled, winking at Makoto.

            Makoto let out a small giggle, rolling her olive eyes. She still couldn't believe how Gou was able to keep this whole "Seijuro" situation away from Rin, but decided to let it be. Rin doesn't need more things to set him off. Makoto bit her lip as she thought, and Gou noticed.

            "Oh _come on_ , Mako! You never pamper yourself, anyway. You just help others all the time and don't even care about yourself!" Gou argued, crossing her arms sternly.

            "That's not true!" Makoto protested, sticking her nose up in the air.

            "It is too!" Gou giggled, pointing a finger.

            "Name _one_ time." Makoto shot back, Nagisa and Rei hearing the developing playful argument, Nagisa yanking Rei over by his hand in order to hear.

            "Nagisa-Kun!"

            "NO, I WANNA HEAR!" Nagisa cheered, standing next to Makoto and Gou as they had their little showdown, Rei pushing his glasses up his slim nose before letting out an exasperated sigh.

            "I can name more than one time! Guys, doesn't Makoto put others before herself _all the time?"_ Gou questioned, nodding towards the two first years.

            "Makoto-senpai does seem to—"

            "Are you kidding me? Of course Mako-Chan puts others before her! This one time, in old swim club, I was in fifth grade, and Mako-chan was in sixth, and I didn't feel like running home like Haru-chan, so Mako-chan let me have her bike to ride back home." Nagisa chimed, his pink eyes lighting up with the memories.

            Makoto let out a long sigh, putting her hands to her face. _Why did she have to be so caring all the time?_ This was _not_ helping her argument.

            "Ah, yes, and Makoto-senpai helped me try to perfect the backstroke, even though it wasn't the stroke I'd succeed in." Rei commented, staring at Nagisa's bubbly form.

            "Oh, and just last month, Mako-chan ran all the way to Haru-chan's house because he was really sick and lives alone." Nagisa just had to add, crossing his arms.

            "Guys..." Makoto grumbled, staring down at the crystal blue water in the pool, Haruka raising an eyebrow at the ruckus, but not getting out of the pool.

            "Oh, and you can't forget when Mako-chan got into the ocean during that storm to save Rei-chan—"

            Rei hissed Nagisa harshly, putting a hand over his mouth, since Gou didn't know about that little "accident" and they all wanted to keep it that way. Gou looked confused, but shook it off, a proud smirk finding its way onto her plump pink lips.

            "There. I'm not the only one that thanks so, Makoto. So, please?" Gou begged, putting her slim hands together.

            "I...I'll have to check with Haru—"

            Nagisa let out a small snicker, as did Gou. Makoto stepped back a bit, raising a brown eyebrow, biting her lip nervously. Why did they giggle?

            "Of course she'd ask _Haru-chan_..." Nagisa teased, elbowing Rei in the ribs, making him push Nagisa to the side.

            "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Makoto questioned, swallowing the big dry lump forming in her throat.

            "Look, Makoto, we all know you're in love with Haruka, it's kind of old news." Gou sighed, rolling her burgundy eyes, crossing her arms.

            _"I-I am n-n-not!"_ Makoto stammered, feeling her face heat up several shades of red.

            She could never lie. It was basically impossible.

            "Yeah, Mako-chan, you still can't lie, even after all these years!" Nagisa giggled, Rei sending him a look of 'leave her alone.'

            "Fine." Makoto whispered quietly, quickly looking behind her to see that Haruka was still floating around like his usual self. _"I like Haru."_

            "You mean _love_ —"

            "Shut up, Nagisa!" Gou hissed, shaking her head. "I'm about to lay down the terms and conditions."

            "Terms and conditions?" Makoto questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

            "Yeah! Look, we'll go get makeovers on Saturday, and Nagisa and Rei will bring Haruka by and then he'll realize what he's been missing out on and finally act on his feelings and then you guys will go off into the sunset and _have babies_ and get married!" Gou clapped her hands, her eyes having a mischievous gleam.

            "Gou!" Makoto hissed quietly, her cheeks the brightest red imaginable. She let out a tiny sigh, looking down at the ground. "Besides, Haru doesn't like me like that, and that's fine—"

            "How do _you_ know?" Nagisa shot back, crossing his arms, looking very cross.

            "Well I—"

            "She knows him better than anyone, Nagisa-kun—"

            "You know Mako-chan can't read stuff like that!"

            "What can't Makoto read?" A deep voice monotone spoke from behind them, Makoto nearly fainting out of surprise and terror.

            "OH HEY HARU-CHAN. WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT." Nagisa shouted, clasping a hand over his mouth, causing Rei to face palm and Gou to clear her throat.

            Haruka just raised a black eyebrow, holding his blue towel close to his body. He could tell that the others were picking on Makoto and he didn't like it one bit.

            "I'm going to go change, Makoto." Haruka drawled, turning from the anxious group and heading to the locker room to change and then walk home with the tall backstroke swimmer.

            "O-okay." Makoto stammered, biting her lip hard.

            "Nagisa, are you dumb?!" Gou screeched, once seeing Haruka disappear from sight.

            "Hey, I took suspicion off of us." Nagisa detested, glaring.

            "You did not!" Gou protested, getting into a flurry of words with the blonde first year.

            Makoto let out a long sigh and looked over at Rei, biting her lip.

            "Makoto-senpai, I think that you should...um...talk to Haruka-senpai about your feelings." Rei offered, playing with his glasses as he looked off at the sunset.

            "Rei, I mean—"

            "It all adds up, Makoto-senpai. You've known him for more than 12 years, so he must have some sort of feeling towards you." Rei stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

            "I mean...I guess so..." Makoto sighed, defeated.

            "I would go with Gou-chan." Rei shrugged, letting out a sigh and yanking Nagisa away from Gou as their fight was heating up.

            "It's Kou!"

            "Gou."

            "KOU!"

            "Gou." Nagisa repeated, raising an eyebrow.

            "Kou!"

            "Kou."

            "It's GOU!" Gou screamed.

            "Okay." Nagisa giggled, clapping his hands together.

            Makoto quickly pulled Gou away as well, letting out a soft breath as Rei glared down lovingly at his best friend, grabbing their backpacks.

            "Good night, Makoto-senpai, Gou-chan." Rei nodded, yanking Nagisa out of the pool deck, who was still reveling in all his glory.

            "Please think about it, Mako?" Gou begged, clasping her hands together one last time.

            "I...um...I will." Makoto sighed, going silent when Haruka stood by the pool's gate, staring at the tall girl expectantly.

            "Haruka's waiting for you." Gou spoke, pointing towards the straight-faced second year.

            "I know. See you later, Gou." Makoto smiled, quickly making her way over to her best friend.

\--

            As Makoto and Haruka were walking home, there was a silence that fell upon them. While most silences between the pair were never awkward, this one sure was. Makoto was desperately trying to hide the awkwardness that was occurring within her and her dire situation, as Haruka felt cheated that Makoto wouldn't want to try and talk about it. Makoto kept her hands in her pockets as the sun sank behind the horizon, the sky turning a deep navy, stars starting to come out. She felt Haruka's gaze on her, and she bit her lip. She knew she would have to say something, since the silence was just too much—

            "You don't have to say anything." Haruka whispered, staring straight ahead as they walked down the beach, a shortcut to their individual houses.

            "H-Haru—"

            "I mean it." Haruka breathed, his ocean blue eyes still focusing straight ahead.

            Makoto cleared her throat and continued to step in perfect unison with her best friend, looking at the lapping waves, beginning to acknowledge that Rei was right. It was time for Makoto to finally tell Haru her feelings, and Makoto knew the easiest way to do so was to go with Gou's plan. Makoto knew that she could just stop Haruka on the beach, get close and whisper how she has felt about him for years, but it proved way too nerve-wracking. She felt Haruka gazing at her again and she quickly put a smile on her face, confirming to herself just what she needed to do.

            "Haru..." Makoto swallowed, looking over to him.

            "Hm?" Haruka hummed, still staring out at the ocean.

            "I'm going to hang out with Gou on Saturday...will you be okay if I don't come over?" Makoto somewhat winced.

            Makoto and Haruka have never truly been a day apart before. Makoto knew how pathetic it sounded, but it was true. They were attached at the hip and always have been. Saturdays were usually when Makoto would spend the night at Haru's, or vice versa. They'd watch movies, play video games, and Haru would actually put off soaking in the tub until she fell asleep.

            Haruka looked over, a curious light shining in his gorgeous ocean blue eyes. Makoto bit her lip as they looked into each other's eyes, Haruka's eyes gently searching Makoto's, seeming somewhat disappointed when not being able to read the look behind her olive eyes. He looked down at the sand, then back to the ocean, getting one last eyeful before him and Makoto reached the street they lived on.

            "Why?" He mumbled, stopping in front of Makoto's warm house, his just up the next flight of stone steps.

            "She wants me to help her get ready for her date with Seijuro." Makoto offered, biting her lip.

            Haruka raised a thin black eyebrow at his best friend and looked her up and down. He tried to swallow back a small whine about how he had wanted to spend Saturday with her by himself as always. He began his decent up the steps as Makoto began opening her front door.

            "Okay...when will you be back?" Haruka grumbled once more, crossing his arms, still trying to hide his obvious disappointment.

            "I won't be long, Haru." Makoto promised, a blush filling her cheeks.

            Was it just her, or was Haruka actually...disappointed?

            "Goodnight, Makoto." Haruka breathed, jogging his way up the steps.

            "Goodnight, Haru-chan!" Makoto grinned, letting out a small giggle.

            "I told you...lay off the -chan..." Haruka whispered to himself, unlocking the door to his dark house.

\--

            When Saturday rolled around, Gou excitedly knocked on Makoto's door. Her parents and the twins were in Tokyo for the weekend, since Ren and Ran were having a school field trip at the aquarium. Makoto remembered the distinctive look of jealousy that filled Haruka's eyes when she told him that her siblings were going to the largest aquarium in the country of Japan.

            Makoto opened the door for Gou as she yawned, the red headed girl waltzing in with her makeup kit and two outfits on hangers. Makoto closed the door behind her friend and was blinded by the skirt thrown in her face.

            "Try it on!" Gou exclaimed, nearly trembling with excitement.

            "Whoa, whoa, Gou!" Makoto exclaimed, overwhelmed. "Let me breathe first!"

            Gou smirked and pulled out her makeup kit as Makoto pulled the skirt off of her face and studied it. It was quite short, and black. Makoto bit her lip as she looked down at her long and shapely legs, sending Gou a look.

            "Gou. This skirt is barely going to cover up my butt—"

            "That's the point!" Gou exclaimed, exasperated.

            "B-but...I-I don't want Haru seeing me—"

            "Mako. You've grown up with Haru, right?" Gou sighed, pulling on her skirt and pulling on her strapless top, making sure it fit nicely.

            "Yeah, but—"

            "So he's seen you naked." Gou concluded, biting her lip as she pulled out some eyeliner.

            "G-Gou!" Makoto exclaimed, her face turning bright red. "Not since we were little!"

            "Same thing." Gou commented, throwing Makoto a strapless tube top. "Put that on."

            "Gou, can't I just wear a dress that's a good length—"

            "Makoto. Please." Gou begged, her burgundy eyes becoming watery.

            Makoto bit her plump bottom lip and sighed, shimmying out of her pajamas and pulling the tiny skirt on, it barely hitting the bottom of her thighs. She cleared her throat and slid on the tube top that Gou forced upon the tall girl, wincing when knowing that her cleavage would be undeniably obvious. Makoto did have an ample chest, although it wasn't exactly very large. She had medium C cups, and while she did like how they looked, she hated showing them off. She never wore low-cut shirts, since most of her shirts were mainly swim shirts that Nagisa spent all his allowance making. Makoto didn't have the heart to tell the blonde that the fish he drew on the shirts looked like malnourished blobs, so she took the leftover shirts from him and added them to her wardrobe.

            Makoto always wore her school uniform to school and around when her and Haruka would go somewhere before or after school. The white button-up was Makoto's favorite part of the uniform, since it covered up her chest perfectly and her green tie would easily lay on top, her black blazer adding to the effect. Makoto would admit her uniform skirt was short, but this mini skirt Gou threw at her was on a whole other level. Makoto thought that she'd get arrested and her mother would have a heart attack if she went outside.

            Makoto looked herself over in the mirror and swallowed as Gou quickly shoved the swimmer into a chair, pulling out her makeup bag, about to pull out some eyeliner when her phone went off. She grabbed it and nearly had a heart attack, letting out a huge gasp.

            "Wh—"

            "Okay, code red, Makoto, Haruka's coming over because stupid Nagisa couldn't keep him at home. Rei said that Nagisa basically said all these things that made Haruka suspicious." Gou panicked, yanking Makoto by her hand up the steps, going two at a time.

            "Gou! Slow down! Just let me put on my regular clothes, I don't want Haru to see me like this—"

            Gou sent Makoto the most terrifying look, and the girl clamped her lips shut, being slammed into the bathroom as Gou pulled back out her eyeliner and began to gently outline Makoto's bright green eyes.

            "Don't blink or wince." Gou commanded, biting her lip as she began to shade in Makoto's lines, letting out a groan when the front door opened.

            "I DIDN'T MEAN TO, GOU! I PROMISE I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" Nagisa cried loudly from downstairs, Haruka's footsteps drawing nearer and nearer to the bathroom door.

            Gou quickly locked it and flew over to Makoto, grabbing out her eye shadow and mascara, working like an absolute madman. Makoto sat in a stunned silence as she wondered how the hell Gou was able to work so fast yet meticulously without stabbing her eye pencils and brushes into Makoto's eyes. Gou let out a relieved sigh, pulling Makoto up from her sitting place on the toilet lid, throwing open the bathroom door, Haruka standing in front of it, an annoyed expression filling up his ocean blue eyes.

            Makoto blushed the brightest shade of red and shied away from Haruka's obvious gaze, letting out a sound of surprise when Gou bolted past the two childhood friends and grabbed Nagisa by the shirt, leading him outside the Tachibana household with a fretting Rei right behind. The door shut, and the house was full of silence, two childhood friends just staring at each other.

            Makoto looked down at herself, letting out a small nervous sigh, biting her lip. She crossed her legs tighter and tried to pull her top up more, surprised when she felt two familiar hands grabbing her wrists, keeping her from fidgeting. Makoto dared to allow her eyes to rise up to meet her best friend's, her heart thumping at the speed of light. Haruka's eyes, for the first time ever, were actually unreadable, causing Makoto to break out in a cold sweat. She was desperate to find out what he was hiding behind his eyes.

            Makoto barely opened her lips when she was pushed back into the wall, her half-opened lips being covered with a soft warmth, her eyes falling shut peacefully. She never imagined that her first kiss would be set up like this. She always thought that her first kiss with Haruka would be them on the beach, or on the pool deck after they proclaimed their love for each other. She never thought that she'd be in a skimpy outfit with pounds of eye makeup on, pinned to the bathroom wall as Haruka placed his smooth hands on her cheek and neck, deepening the touch of his lips upon hers.

            They soon parted and panted, Makoto's eyes huge.

            "H-Haru..." She breathed, clearing her throat, "I-I—"

            "I liked you better before." Haruka spoke, his voice wavering ever-so-softly.

            "H-huh?" Makoto stammered, her brain fuzzy.

            "I said I liked you better before." Haruka repeated, his voice more confident this time.

            "I-"

            "You don't have to wear makeup like that..." Haruka began, biting his lip shyly, "I like it when you have nothing on your face...you look like Makoto." Haruka swallowed.

            "Haru..." Makoto managed to breathe, feeling his lips close on hers once again, able to wrap her long arms around his neck as he yanked the girl closer, rubbing her back.

            "I mean it." He murmured, nuzzling his nose into her neck, leaving a chaste kiss.

            Makoto nuzzled into Haruka's shoulder, hiding her blush.

            "I love you, Haru..." She whispered, wincing softly.

            "I love you too, Mako." He coughed, shyly looking away, trying to suppress the deep blush finding its way onto his cheeks.

            "I feel so uncomfortable in this..." Makoto giggled, heading for her room to grab her sweatpants and a t-shirt.

            "Wait..." Haruka lilted, grabbing a makeup remover cloth and gently wiping over Makoto's whole face, his face lighting up when she was finally revealed under all that makeup Gou piled on.

            Makoto leaned in to kiss her lover when she was rid of the makeup, elated.

            Meanwhile, outside, Gou was chewing Nagisa out like there was no tomorrow as Rei watched in horror, his back up against one of the trees in the Tachibana's yard.

            "You nearly ruined everything, Nagisa!" Gou steamed,  pointing a finger.

            "Don't look at me! I was trying to keep Haru-chan off of Mako-chan's butt, but he wouldn't stop asking about her!" Nagisa whined, wincing.

            "Nuh-uh! You told Haru that you had no idea where Makoto was and that sent Haruka into a worried tailspin!" Gou shouted, her face heating up with anger.

            "I didn't know Haru-chan would—"

            The yard went silent when the two in question emerged from Makoto's house, holding hands peacefully. Makoto and Haruka whispered to each other as they began their descent up the stone steps to Haruka's house, Makoto finally back in her usual sweatpants and t-shirt. Rei, Nagisa, and Gou all stared in a stunned silence, Gou nearly letting out an angry pout.

            "I worked so hard getting that makeup on her..."


End file.
